Ash UK/US

Just out of curiosity...

Last week my daughter went to a kindergarten screening at the school we are hoping to get her into, whilst I was waiting the kids in the near by class room were saying the pledge of alligiance. I know this is a common thing across the country so I just wondered if any of the parents of UK citizen kids were at all bothered by that?

rebs

Before we came, I explained to my son (who was 10 at the time) about the pledge and that it would happen. I said he didn't have to say the words if he didn't want to, but had to stand and be respectful.

I've spoken to him about it since and he says he prefers to join in and say it with the other kids.

To be honest, for me, the main thing is that he feels comfortable and is doing whatever he feels he needs to do to fit in.

ukintexas

Gosh - I always find this an interesting subject as me and hubby have spoken about this lots of times before. We live in Texas so our children get to say both the "Pledge of Allegiance" and "Honour the Texas Flag" at the start of each of their days.
Being honest, there is a part of me that still gets slightly irked by it as I do not feel it appropriate to have an allegiance "forced" upon them. However, I also believe that as we chose to come live here, we need to respect this tradition!
The strangest thing is when my kids (who are now 13 and 10 - having been here four years), will now place their hands on their hearts as they stand to sing the National Anthem at ball games and stuff. That really freaks me out!
There you go, thats my two penneth!

SpoogleDrummer

When I was at school in the UK I had to sing god save the Queen sometimes and of course numerous hymns about God. Personally I can't stand the royal family and am not religious at all. I wouldn't say the pledge is any worse than either of those. Having said that my son is American anyways so it won't be a problem for him.

ukintexas

Very good point!

lisag8070

my DD is 7 and she's been saying it for 3 yrs now...doesn't bother her none and it doesn't bother me, as after all they're only words.....

like the above poster said she's going to have to do the UK version when we go back.....

We just go with the flow..

rebs

Ash - how do you feel about it? Do you think it will bother you?

Sir Denis Eaton-Hogg

My 6 year old does it every morning and seems proud of it... he says it makes him feel part of the class. He seems to understand very little about the actual words. I think its a case of when in Rome. We were advised by the teacher that it was optional and we could opt out, but at his age and being in a new country the last thing we wanted was anything that might exclude him or mark him out. Of course if he was older he might have his own opinions.

We hold no religious beliefs and are a very liberal family with multi-ethnic-cultural background and I have to say that I think its a good thing.

It is as people say just words, however the desire to to instill a sense of pride and civic duty in kids, which is its intent is not so terrible.

I can honestly say that it would probably do a lot of kids good to do something similar back in UK in school each morning. Highly unlikely though

Its pretty sad that if you describe yourself as patriotic and proud of your country in the UK you will most likely branded as a far-right, BNP sympathizing nutjob, and as such few people do, its almost shameful.

meauxna

I had to do that in Canada when I was a kid, and I wasn't Canadian. I was just about to say how it clearly hadn't ruined me for life, but then I remembered: now I'm Canadian.

So maybe there *is* some lasting effect to that patriotic singing & pledging....

Sally Redux

Just asked them.

My son (16) feels uncomfortable with it, he said he just stands, and that 'half' the other students don't even stand anyway.

My daughter (13) says she doesn't think she should have to pledge but she does.

I found it surprising that there is a pledge before school events, PFC meetings etc. It feels old-fashioned.

Sally Redux

When we first arrived, my son asked why the pledge was to 'The flag...and the Republic of Ireland'.

MsElui

my 4 year old started to recite the pledge the other day whilst we were sitting on the sofa. He has obviously been doing it at preschool - I had no idea they did it that early! I dont care if he says it or not. Its probably easier to say it and fit in with his peers. As we hope to naturalise eventually i dont see what the problem is - although i would aim to make them understand my underlying loyalty to my Btritish heritage and explain thats where they are really from.

lisa67

Ditto! My kids have been here for 9 years now so they usually put their hands on their hearts and join in with the pledge etc. doesn't bother me at all...whatever they feel comfortable with.
I did have a friend who took her son to boy scouts and he nudged her when they started saying the pledge and so she joined in to make him happy and some of the US moms complained

Mummy in the foothills

I was surprised when oldest son started school (Kindergarten) and the pledge was recited each day he didn't seem to care either way I don't really care about them doing it.
Same as them saying prayers and singing the national anthem in UK schools.
I know when the boys got old enough to know what they were saying, they both asked how come they go on about "under God", isn't that not allowed in school I had no idea what to tell them on that.

bevinva

I told my kids they could make their own choice (they were all born in the US), at various times they have decided to stop saying it for one reason or another. My OH refused to even stand for it during the Bush administration. I always smirk and say "God save the Queen" at the end, after I unfold my arms.